The Scientific Selection of Explosives 

for Coal Mining* 



(jv* />■'/ 

NCS. (IREENSFELDER 

OF THE 

Hercules Powder Co 


*A paper delivered at the 35th Annual Meeting of the Coal Mining Institute of 

America, Pittsburgh, Pa., December 8th, 1921. 


Copyright 1921 by the Hercules Powder Co. 



• f • 


GOOD BLASTING PRACTICE 

The coal has been undercut and the dust removed. The miner has an electric 
lamp and is using a permissible explosive, and electric detonators. He ivill 
tamp the charge well, using for stemming, “ dummies ” filled with moist clay. 

. Q . 

r . /W • * • 

DEC -9 1921 


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THE SCIENTIFIC SELECTION OF EXPLOSIVES 


FOR COAL MINING 


By 



Greensfelder, e. m. 


Hercules Powder Co. 


EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF EXPLOSIVES 

U NTIL the 19th Century the only explosive in practical use was 
ordinary gunpowder, a mixture of saltpetre, charcoal and sul¬ 
phur. The latter two materials have been known from time im¬ 
memorial, but the first reference to saltpetre is found in the writings 
of a Spanish Arab about 1225 A. D. The knowledge that these 
three materials would produce an explosive was discovered by Roger 
Bacon, and is referred to in his writings about 1249 A. D. The real 
development of gunpowder came with the invention of the gun 
about twenty-five years later. However, almost three hundred 
years elapsed before powder was used as an agent for mining and 
excavation work. 

The process of manufacturing gunpowder has not varied much 
since that time except in improving machinery, increasing capacity 
and producing a better and more stable product. The percentages 
of materials have changed a little from time to time, but by 1650 
had settled to approximately the same percentages that are used 
today, viz: 75% saltpetre, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulphur. 

About 1850, experiments were made using nitrate of soda as a 
substitute for nitrate of potash or saltpetre. The use of nitrate of 
soda for a blasting and mining powder rapidly developed. It has 
displaced the saltpetre powder for most industrial work. The 
usual formula for blasting powder in use today is 72% soda; 15.4% 
charcoal and 12.6 % sulphur. 


— : 3 : — 


Dynamite was first introduced by Alfred Nobel, a Swedish engineer, 
in 1806, after numerous accidents had resulted from the use of nitro¬ 
glycerin alone. Nobel discovered that by mixing nitroglycerin 
with kieselguhr, an absorbent earth, it became safer to handle. 
Modern practice in the United States has eliminated kieselguhr for 
an absorbent and substituted nitrate of soda, nitrate of ammonia, 
wood-pulp, flour, etc., which give an active “dope”, that is, one that 
will assist in the explosion instead of acting as an absorbent only, as 
is the case with kieselguhr. 

Since its introduction, dynamite has replaced blasting powder in 
practically all underground metal mining and in much surface 
blasting such as quarry work, where hard rock formations 
are encountered and a quick shattering explosive is desired. 

INTRODUCTION OF PERMISSIBLE EXPLOSIVES 

The principal objection to the use of black powder in coal mines 
is the long, hot flame which it produces upon explosion. On account 
of this fact it readily ignites gas or dust, which occur in so many 
coal mines. Many disasters have occurred as results of explosions 
of gas or dust and in mines where either of these substances occur 
in appreciable amounts, the use of black blasting powder introduces 
an additional element of danger. 

When the Federal Government in response to the widespread 
interest awakened by a succession of mine disasters, authorized in 
1908 an inquiry into the cause of mine explosions, the Secretary of 
the Interior, James R. Garfield, decided that full advantage should 
be taken of the results of similar inquiries that had been in progress 
in foreign countries. Accordingly, at his request, representatives 
were sent by three European Governments to cooperate with the 
United States Geological Survey in studying conditions in this country. 
As a result of their examinations they framed a series of recommenda¬ 
tions which were embodied in a report and distributed among the 
coal operators of the country. These recommendations, bearing 
on the subject of explosives were as follows:—• 

“(1) We recommend that the Government of the United States 
examine the explosives now and hereafter used in mining, with a 
view to eliminating the more dangerous explosives and to improv¬ 
ing and standardizing such explosives as may be considered most 
suitable for such use, these to be designated by the Government 
‘permissible explosives.’ 


• 4 • — 


“The term ‘permissible explosives’ is suggested for the reason that 
no explosives are entirely safe, and all of them develop flame when 
ignited; and we advise therefore against the use in the United States 
e s ^ afety explosives’ or Tameless explosives’, as these 
terms may be misunderstood and this misunderstanding may en¬ 
danger life. 

“(2) We recommend that the operators and miners of coal use 
only such explosives as are included in a list of permissible explosives, 
when the same has been published by the Government, in all mines 
where there is risk of igniting either dust or gas, selecting that one 
which their own experience indicates can be used to the best advantage 
under local conditions. 

“(3) We also recommend that investigations be conducted to 
determine the amount of charge of such permissible explosives 
which may be used to the best advantage under different conditions, 
with a view to reducing danger to the minimum." 

The same committee made additional important recommendations 
concerning carrying the explosives into the mines; use of explosives 
in the mine; keeping the mine roadways clean; wetting the coal 
dust; special precautions for mines containing gas; use of electricity 
and miscellaneous precautions, all of which may be found in Techni¬ 
cal Paper No. 21 of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. These recommenda¬ 
tions are as important and applicable to present conditions as they 
were at the time they were written about ten years ago. Undoubt¬ 
edly the presentation of these specific recommendations to the coal 
mining industry of the United States and their adoption to such a 
large extent marks one of the greatest forward steps that has ever 
been made in coal mining practice in this country. 

In addition to publishing recommendations mentioned above, the 
Government established a testing station at Pittsburgh, Pa., in 
1908. This station is now under the charge of the Federal Bureau 
of Mines. Before the station was opened, a statement of the re¬ 
quirements that the explosives in question would have to satisfy 
was drawn up and sent to manufacturers. 

The lists now published by the Bureau contain the names of ex¬ 
plosives that have passed the Bureau’s permissibility tests, together 
with data regarding their speed, strength, etc. 

An explosive is officially termed a permissible explosive when 
it is similar in all respects to the sample that passed certain tests 
of the Federal Bureau of Mines, and when it is used in accordance 
with the conditions prescribed by the Bureau. 


These conditions are as follows:— 


(1) That the explosive is in all respects similar to the sample 
submitted by the manufacturer for test. 

(2) That detonators, preferably electric detonators, are used 
of not less efficiency than those prescribed. 

(3) That the explosive if frozen, shall be thoroughly thawed in 
a safe and suitable manner before use. 

(4) That the quantity used for a shot does not exceed \]/i pounds 
(680 grams) and that it is properly tamped with clay or other non- 
combustible stemming. 

The following statements were made in a recent address by the 
General Manager of a large coal mining company operating in West 
Virginia: 

“A great many steps have been taken by our company along safety 
lines for several years and we have decided that the training of our 
men along safety lines is just as important as any other branch of the 
mining industry. 

“Our first step was to eliminate the use of black powder for blast¬ 
ing purposes, and this we did about six years ago, adopting in its 
stead a permissible powder. I am advised today that since permissi¬ 
ble powder was put into use we have reduced the accidents that were 
formerly caused by explosives about 75 per cent. If we were to 
eliminate the accidents that are caused by the use of short fuses by 
the miners the reduction would be considerably greater than 75 
per cent." 

Classes of Permissible Explosives. Permissibles are divided 
into five groups, two of which are important, namely, the Ammonium 
Nitrate class and the Nitroglycerin class. 

The base or principal ingredient of the Ammonium Nitrate class 
is, as the name implies, Nitrate of Ammonia. This together with 
some carbonaceous matter and small percentage of nitroglycerin, 
to act as a sensitizer, constitutes the explosive. The slower varieties 
have certain salts added to change the quickness according to the 
requirements in different sections of the country. Because of the low 
specific gravity of Nitrate of Ammonia which is the principal in¬ 
gredient, it is more bulky than ordinary dynamite. For example, 



SAFETY 

The General Manager of a Company operating a large number of coal mines 
including the one in which this striking photograph was taken, stated recently 
that after permissible explosives were introduced, the number of accidents in 
their mines caused by explosives had been reduced 1 5 per cent. 















A DAILY SUPPLY MAGAZINE 

It is usually necessary to keep on hand at the mine a sufficient quantity of ex¬ 
plosives to meet the daily requirements. To ensure safety, a well built magazine 
like the small one shown above should be used. This Pennsylvania mine produced 
more than 360,000 tons of coal during 19fO without a single fatal accident. 


there are about 200, Iff" x 8" cartridges in 100 lbs. of ordinary dyna¬ 
mite, while there are from 270 to 310 of the same size cartridges per 
100 lbs. of the various grades of Red H, a permissible of the Ammoni¬ 
um Nitrate Class. 


The main ingredient of the Nitroglycerin Permissible, is indicated 
by their name, nitroglycerin. 

The Ammonium Nitrate Permissibles are in our opinion, more 
efficient in the majority of cases than the Nitroglycerin grades. The 
Ammonium Nitrate permissibles are the safest as regards handling 
and use. The principal constituent, Ammonium Nitrate, is not 
waterproof, but to overcome this, all cartridges are dipped a second 
time in paraffin after filling and, in some cases the ammonium nitrate 
itself is made more water resisting by special treatment. These 
permissibles can, therefore, be used satisfactorily in wet work if care 
is taken not to split the cartridges when placing them in the bore hole. 


SCIENTIFIC SELECTION OF PERMISSIBLE EXPLOSIVES 


One of the Federal Bureau of Alines Bulletins states that the Unit 
Deflective Charge tells more about the coal-getting qualities of a 
permissible than any one figure. On account of the various factors 








that determine the strength of an explosive, there is no one figure 
which will express it absolutely, but the Unit Deflective Charge 
comes nearer to representing strength than any other. 

In determining Unit Deflective Charges, the Pittsburgh Testing 
Station of the Bureau takes ]/2 lb. of Standard Bureau of Mines 
Straight Nitroglycerin dynamite and fires this in a cannon that is 
part of a ballistic mortar apparatus. When the cannon is fired the 
muzzle is against a pendulum. The force of the explosion directed 
against this pendulum sets it in motion. The maximum arc through 
which it swings is automatically recorded. The distance that the 
pendulum is moved by this half-pound of Standard 40 % Dynamite is 
taken as a unit distance, and the other explosives are then tested 
to determine how much of each of them it takes to move the pendulum 
the same distance. The amount of any permissible required to move 
it this unit distance is called its Unit Deflective Charge. Natural¬ 
ly, the stronger the explosive, the smaller the charge required. It 
is important to bear in mind the fact that the Unit Deflective 
Charge is the amount of an explosive (by weight) required to per¬ 
form a standard amount of work, because otherwise the wrong idea 
might be conveyed. Always think of the Unit Deflective Charge as 
the amount of explosive necessary to do a certain piece of work, as 
for instance, to swing a pendulum a certain distance. It will then 
be evident to you that the less it takes, or the lower its Unit De- 
fiective Charge, the stronger is the explosive. 

There is another important factor which enters into the perfor¬ 
mance of a permissible. This is its quickness, which is designated as 
“Rate of Detonation”, that is to say, the velocity with which the 
wave of detonation travels through the explosive. The higher the 
rate of detonation, the quicker the explosive. 

Other things being equal, a fast powder has greater smashing 
effect, is more local in its action, and is more apt to bring down its 
burden unless it is too quick for the material, in which case it will 
simply make a pot hole. 

A slow powder on the other hand produces a heave rather than a 
quick blow, and its force is apt to spread out and exert itself over 
a large area. 

Strength and quickness almost entirely determine the breaking qual¬ 
ities of an explosive. Therefore, the Unit Deflective Charge and 
Rate of Detonation of a permissible explosive give a good idea of 
what it may be expected to do. 


In comparing figures for Unit Deflective Charges and Rates of 
Detonation it should be borne in mind that the difference of only a 
few grams in the Unit Deflective Charges or several hundred feet 
per second for Rate of Detonation should not be taken into considera¬ 
tion. It might be caused by slight variations in the sample or in 
the apparatus used for testing. Where there is a marked difference 
in the qualities of the explosives, however, the figures will indicate it 
plainly by a difference of appreciable size. It is, therefore, a matter 
where one must use reasonable judgment. 

In addition to strength and quickness some points to be carefully 
considered in choosing a permissible for any particular work are, 
nature of fumes produced, water resisting qualities and number of 
cartridges obtained in any given weight. 

✓ 

The fumes from Ammonium Nitrate permissibles as a rule contain 
a less percentage of poisonous gases than those of the Nitroglycerin 
class. This is an important point in favor of the former. 

The Nitroglycerin permissibles are more waterproof than the 
Ammonium Nitrate grades. However, the latter are used success¬ 
fully in wet work if care is taken that the cartridges are not split 
when charged in the bore hole. The extra dipping in paraffin and 
the special treatment given the ammonium nitrate, protects the 
powder from the action of water for a considerable time. 


EFFECT OF PERMISSIBLE EXPLOSIVES ON SIZE OF COAL 


Rutledge and Hall state in Bulletin 10 of the Bureau of Mines: 
“When a mine makes the change from black powder to a permissi¬ 
ble explosive there may be a slight increase in the proportion of fine 
coal made; but a considerable part of this increase must be laid to 
the miners’ lack of experience with the new explosive. Miners must 
become accustomed to the use of a new grade of black blasting 
powder before they can get good results with it, and each miner 
must learn by experience how best to shoot any coal bed that is 
new to him. In like manner, a miner must become accustomed to 
using permissible explosives.” 

The same writers conclude that if a miner uses permissible explo¬ 
sives with exact judgment, the proportion of lump coal that is pro¬ 
duced compares very favorably with what would be obtained by 
the use of black powder. 


— : 10 : — 



TIIE PROPER EXPLOSIVE PRODUCES MORE LUMPS 


Different coal seams vary so much in physical characteristics , that the most 
suitable explosive can be chosen only after a careful study of all local conditions. 
The strength and quickness of the explosive have an important bearing on the 

market value of the coal. 


— : 11 : 




It is also stated in Bulletin 10 of the Federal Bureau of Mines 
that according to information received by Government officials, 
from districts where the cost of using permissible explosives has been 
carefully kept, there is little, if any difference in the cost of blasting 
a ton of coal, whether permissible explosives or black powder is 
used. In some instances we find the cost of using permissibles will 
exceed that of black powder. However, the additional safety 
obtained by the use of permissible explosives is often sufficient 
to warrant their introduction. In some cases the greatest opposition 
to such a change is found amongst the miners themselves, who may 
object to any change from old familiar methods. In this event 
there is an excellent opportunity for those in charge of operations to 
educate the miner to the personal advantages he will derive in the 
way of increased safety, convenience in handling, and better fumes, 
by making this change. 


FACTORS AFFECTING EFFICIENCY 


No attempt has been made in this paper to describe the best 
methods of priming, loading and firing explosive charges, because to 
properly cover those subjects would require a long discussion. 


However, there are certain points which it will be well to emphasize 
briefly, as they have an important bearing upon the efficiency obtain¬ 
ed in the use of permissible explosives. 


(1) Use of Strong Detonators: Nothing weaker than a No. fi 
detonator should ever be used with a permissible explosive, and the 
use of No. 8 detonators will more than repay the difference in cost 
by the increased efficiency obtained from the explosive. 

(2) Effect of Stemming on the Efficiency of Explosives: The 
use of good stemming material properly tamped is necessary in order 
to obtain good results with permissibles. 


The U. S. Bureau of Mines has conducted numerous experiments 
along this line and the following conclusions are given in Technical 
Paper 17: 


“The increase in efficiency from the use of stemming varies con¬ 
siderably with different explosives. With slow-burning explosives 
such as black blasting powder, a large quantity of stemming is 
required for effective results, and the greater the quantity of stem¬ 
ming used, and the more firmly this stemming is tamped into the 
bore hole, the greater is the useful work done by the shot. Since the 



< ( 
c c c. 



BLASTING AN 
EIGHTEEN FOOT 
SEAM 

The result of a shot made 
with Red II. Permissible 
explosive at a Utah Goal 
M ine. This coal seam 

is about IS feet thick-. 
A bottom heading is first 
mined and the top bench 
shot down latter. 

Note the high percentage 
of lump coal obtained. 



stemming in a drill hole is seldom as firm or unyielding as the sur¬ 
rounding rock, as much stemming should be used as can be placed 
in the drill hole. Tamped moist clay or some similar plastic 
material is the best stemming for all explosives and dry pulverulent 
material, such as dry clay or coal dust is least efficient. The use of 
the most efficient stemming materials may increase the useful energy 
of a shot 93 per cent; the use of the least efficient stemming materials 
may increase that energy 60 per cent. Accordingly it is clear that 
the use of stemming is necessary when the maximum useful effect 
from an explosive is desired." 

It may be seen, therefore, that while the selection of the proper 
explosive has an important bearing upon blasting costs and grades of 


— : 13 : 



coal produced it is further necessary to employ proper methods in 
the use of these explosives in order to obtain best possible results. 


SUMMARY 

Given the problem then of choosing the explosive most desirable 
for any particular set of conditions the following points should be 
considered: 

Safety. —This is becoming more and more a primary consid¬ 
eration with an ever-growing number of coal mining companies. 
Viewed from the safety angle, permissible explosives possess a decided 
advantage over black blasting powder. In mines where dust or gas are 
found in appreciable amounts the use of a permissible explosive is usually 
specified by the mine inspector. Even in mines where there is little 
danger from dust or gas explosions, the permissible type of explosive 
is safer and more convenient to handle than black powder. More¬ 
over, the fumes resulting from the detonation of most permissible 
explosives, when properly tamped, are better than those produced 
by black powder. 

Strength and Quickness. —With black blasting powder the 
only factor to consider under this head is quickness which varies 
with the granulation. The coarser the granulation the slower the 
powder, so that a fair range of speeds may be obtained by selecting 
the desired one of the seven granulations in which black powder is 
usually marketed. 

With permissible explosives the problem is a little more compli¬ 
cated but with the number of grades manufactured and the data 
available a closer selection can be made. 

The figure which most closely represents the strength of a per¬ 
missible is its unit deflective charge, and it should be remembered 
that the smaller the figure for the unit deflective charge, the strong¬ 
er is the explosive. Also remember that the difference of only a few 
grams in the unit deflective charges is immaterial, but from these 
figures for unit deflective charges, considered broadly, the relative 
strengths of permissible explosives can be accurately judged. 

The “Rate of Detonation” designates the quickness of a permissible 
and here also, differences of a few hundred feet in velocity should 
not be considered, but the fact should be remembered that the greater 
the “Rate of Detonation” of an explosive, the greater is its shattering 
effect. 

The physical characteristics of each coal seam and the purpose 
for which the coal is to be used are the governing factors in selecting 

- : 14 : - 


the explosive for mining it, and the strength and quickness of the explo¬ 
sive to be used are extremely important considerations if good 
results are to be obtained. These figures can be obtained for all 
permissibles from the publications of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. 

Nature of Fumes Produced.— The fumes from the Ammonium 
Nitrate permissibles in most cases contain a less percentage of 
noxious gases than those of the Nitroglycerin class. When properly 
tamped, permissible explosives of the Ammonium Nitrate group give 
much better fumes than black blasting powder. 

The question of fumes is important not only from the standpoint 
of the comfort and health of the miner, but it is also true that the 
actual amount of work a miner can perform is affected considerably 
by the kind of air he breathes in his working place. 

W ater Resisting Qualities.-— While the Nitroglycerin class of 
permissibles are more waterproof than those of the ammonium 
nitrate type, the latter may be used satisfactorily in nearly any 
kind of work encountered in ordinary coal mining operations. 
The double-dipping in paraffin affords an additional water-proofing 
for the Ammonium Nitrate permissibles. 

Cartridge Count.— After the permissibles which have the 
proper quickness and strength are picked out, economy can some¬ 
times be effected by a comparison of the number of cartridges of 
each for a given weight. If two permissibles will perform equally 
well, cartridge for cartridge, and one of them has a greater num¬ 
ber of cartridges per box than the other, it is readily apparent 
that the mining company handling the powder and the miner using 
it will both save money by using the higher count permissible. 
This information can be obtained from the manufacturer. 

Packing.— This is a quality of permissible explosives which is 
often a matter of individual taste. As a rule, the coal miner 
desires his cartridges well filled and not too hard. The powder 
should not be so hard as to make it difficult to insert the deton¬ 
ator, neither should it be so loosely packed that it does not com¬ 
pletely fill the cartridge. The skill and care exercised in manufac¬ 
ture may often be judged from the manner in which the cartridges 
are packed. 


— : 15 : — 


HERCULES POWDER CO. 


Manufacturers 



of Explosives 


ALLENTOWN, PA. 
BIRMINGHAM, ALA. 
BUFFALO, N. Y. 
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
DULUTH, MINN. 
HAZLETON, PA. 
HUNTINGTON, W. VA. 
JOPLIN, MO. 
LOUISVILLE, KY. 


NEW YORK, N. Y. 
NORRISTOWN, PA. 
PITTSBURG, KANS. 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 
POTTSVILLE, PA. 

ST. LOUIS, MO. 

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
WILKES BARRE, PA. 
WILMINGTON, DEL. 


